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Perfection of procurement
Going digital can help unify your procurement processes, but what are the other benefits of moving your purchasing into the cloud?
Not so long ago, University Business reported on Durham University's move to the Wax Digital web3 procurement system. Known within the University as 'Acquire', the cloud-based, source-to-pay system has not only helped automate the procurement process, it has also encouraged staff to revolutionise the way they look at purchasing as a whole.
Several months on from our initial article, we caught up with Laura Watson, Deputy Director of Procurement at Durham University, to find out how the university is getting on with Acquire and what is lined up next for the procurement team.
How has Durham been getting on with the Wax Digital web3 procurement system?
It took a while to get the web3 system in place, because there were some technical issues at the start. However, after all the creases were ironed out, we launched it to a small number of pilot sites as 'Acquire' in August 2011 and it has been well received.
What further changes have you seen in the procurement process?
Because of all the changes taking place, there has been a big shift in the way people think about procurement at the University. We have really concentrated on buying sustainably, and have proven that sourcing locally, reducing our carbon footprint and cutting down on waste not only improves the University's green credentials, but results in major cost savings too. In fact, we recently won a Green Gown Award for Sustainable Procurement for the second year running.
What is next for Durham University's procurement?
We're looking to implement Acquire across the entire University, including the area of science purchasing, as this currently has it's own procurement processes for low value purchases. We will also continue to run our own skills gap analysis as part of our Strategic Sourcing Strategy and procurement training, to make sure that key members of the university are upto- speed on everything that is going on. As part of our strategic procurement plan for the future, we intend to look into auctions more. This is a really interesting area for purchasing and procurement, and it could significantly benefit the University during 2012.
Why was Acquire initially implemented at the university?
I have been heavily involved in developing our strategy for procurement and the intention was always to improve internal processes through the paper process, then deliver the real benefits through the source-to-pay system. It also streamlines our procurement, giving us better control of how staff are buying, where from and when.
Can you tell us a little bit about the procurement processes and initatives for your catering teams?
Purchasing for catering facilities is always difficult, but as part of our procurement strategy, we've ensured that we are getting the best products and prices possible. We've also placed a heavy emphasis on sustainability within catering too, making sure that we reduce the number of products that are imported from overseas to reduce our carbon footprint, and looking in depth at purchasing approved sustainable items where possible.
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